The Awl http://www.theawl.com/ Be Less Stupid Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:15:57 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 Elderly Comforted By Warming Glow Of "Television" http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/elderly-comforted-by-warming-glow-of-television http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/elderly-comforted-by-warming-glow-of-television#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:15:57 +0000 Alex Balk http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/elderly-comforted-by-warming-glow-of-television What the series of tubes used to beWhile the kids are busy texting, what are old people doing? Watching TV: "The networks still preach adults 18-49, but the Big Three are all expected to post median ages above 50 this fall — with Fox not too far behind. According to a recent study by former Magna Global EVP Steve Sternberg, the broadcast networks as a whole have once again grown older than ever. The five broadcast nets' average live median age this year — in other words, not counting DVR usage — was 51." Popular old-people shows include "Dancing With The Stars," "Deal Or No Deal," and "The News."

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]]> What the series of tubes used to beWhile the kids are busy texting, what are old people doing? Watching TV: "The networks still preach adults 18-49, but the Big Three are all expected to post median ages above 50 this fall — with Fox not too far behind. According to a recent study by former Magna Global EVP Steve Sternberg, the broadcast networks as a whole have once again grown older than ever. The five broadcast nets' average live median age this year — in other words, not counting DVR usage — was 51." Popular old-people shows include "Dancing With The Stars," "Deal Or No Deal," and "The News."

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]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/elderly-comforted-by-warming-glow-of-television/feed 2 If You Can Remember Woodstock You Are Probably Taking Statins Now http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/if-you-can-remember-woodstock-you-are-probably-taking-statins-now http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/if-you-can-remember-woodstock-you-are-probably-taking-statins-now#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:45:28 +0000 Alex Balk http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/if-you-can-remember-woodstock-you-are-probably-taking-statins-now The part where Pete Townshend kicked Abbie Hoffman in the ass was pretty coolI used to believe that the Boomers were civilization's most self-obsessed generation, but the recent raft of reflections occasioned by the passing of John Hughes made me realize that maybe no one group of people has a monopoly on nostalgia and self-importance. Still, until Barack Obama pushes through those DEATH PANELS, we are stuck with the Boomers and their endless series of anniversaries for events that seemed earth-changing at the time but, with the distance of history, turned out to be just a bunch of people shitting in a field in upstate New York. That's right: The hippie fuckfest that was Woodstock happened forty years ago this weekend! Listen to the music or watch the documentary and then give your mom and dad a call and ask them all about it. You'll be performing an act of kindness: You know how old people love to talk.

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]]> The part where Pete Townshend kicked Abbie Hoffman in the ass was pretty coolI used to believe that the Boomers were civilization's most self-obsessed generation, but the recent raft of reflections occasioned by the passing of John Hughes made me realize that maybe no one group of people has a monopoly on nostalgia and self-importance. Still, until Barack Obama pushes through those DEATH PANELS, we are stuck with the Boomers and their endless series of anniversaries for events that seemed earth-changing at the time but, with the distance of history, turned out to be just a bunch of people shitting in a field in upstate New York. That's right: The hippie fuckfest that was Woodstock happened forty years ago this weekend! Listen to the music or watch the documentary and then give your mom and dad a call and ask them all about it. You'll be performing an act of kindness: You know how old people love to talk.

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]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/08/if-you-can-remember-woodstock-you-are-probably-taking-statins-now/feed 12